


Soften

by kyasuu



Category: Fate/Grand Order, Fate/stay night & Related Fandoms
Genre: Fluff and Humor, M/M, Shovel Talk, also enkidu, but he's getting there, gilgamesh doesn't know how to emotions, there's a brief mention of nitocris cu chulainn lancer and ritsuka
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-11
Updated: 2018-10-11
Packaged: 2019-07-29 11:41:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16263479
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kyasuu/pseuds/kyasuu
Summary: Gilgamesh gives Arash the shovel talk, and Ozymandias doesn't take kindly to that.





	Soften

**Author's Note:**

> this is pure unadulterated fluff because i wanted to write something nice and cute for once

Being cornered by Gilgamesh, of all Servants, in the hallway is really not something Arash had ever expected, but it’s happening now, so he may as well roll with it.

“May I help you?” Arash asks as brightly as he’s able, maintaining his politeness. Gilgamesh could probably snap him like a twig if he so desired despite his slightly shorter stature, which probably means it’s a good idea not to get on his bad side. Well, Arash always makes an effort to be nice to everyone. And everyone is on Gilgamesh’s bad side at all times anyway.

Well, mostly everyone. Enkidu and Ozymandias seem to be exceptions, as are the many Arturias, and Gilgamesh doesn’t seem to mind their Master’s presence all that much.

Gilgamesh stares at him intently for a very long time. Arash shifts uncomfortably, not sure what the other wants from him, only that he seems rather displeased. Then again, when is Gilgamesh ever  _ not _ displeased? That’s a thought that pretty much everyone has had, but nobody has ever dared speak aloud.

“I do not get it,” Gilgamesh announces suddenly after a while, the space between his eyebrows furrowing.

“Er,” says Arash.

“Silence, mongrel!” Gilgamesh shouts, pointing at him dramatically. Arash raises his hands in surrender, offering an awkward smile in an attempt to placate the King of Heroes. “Did I give you permission to speak?”

Arash doesn’t point out the fact that he didn’t actually speak, only giving a mildly apologetic nod of his head.

“I  _ still _ do not get it,” Gilgamesh mutters as he continues to glare-stare at Arash. Get  _ what _ ? Arash wonders. “Why does he  _ like _ you? What does he see in you?”

_ Oh. _

This is about Ozymandias.

Arash shrugs a little helplessly, not speaking, but also because he doesn’t know himself, only that apparently Ozymandias decided that he liked Arash and they were to be a thing, as their Master put it. Not that Arash minds at all.

“No matter! That is not the point of me talking to you here.” Gilgamesh scowls deeply at him. “For whatever reason, that Rider seems to like you! I personally believe he has questionable tastes, but I cannot dictate what or who he likes. If it were up to me, he would be with someone more worthy, but he has already settled on you.”

Man, the other Archer can talk. Arash waits for Gilgamesh to get to the point. The impatience must show, because Gilgamesh levels another glower at him. “What I am trying to say here is that you must treat him with the respect he is due and more. Should I find that you have failed in this regard I will personally end you.”

Gilgamesh sniffs disdainfully, crossing his arms. He inspects Arash for another long moment before abruptly turning around and marching off. Arash doesn’t let himself relax totally until the gold Archer is gone, death threats and all. Despite that, Arash can’t help but smile a little. Apparently Gilgamesh’s fondness for Ozymandias goes a lot deeper than what he’d expected.

 

“I don’t think Gilgamesh likes me very much,” Arash remarks offhandedly, carding a hand through Ozymandias’s hair absently from where the other’s head is resting in his lap.

“Hm,” says the pharoah, sounding distracted and sleepy. “Why do you say that?” To be fair, it’s a bit of a stupid statement, since Gilgamesh doesn’t really like anyone. As friendly as he is with Gilgamesh, Ozymandias is neither stupid nor blind, and he definitely knows about the unlikeable parts of his friend.

“We… talked? Today.” Arash isn’t sure  _ talk _ is the right word, given that Arash had said a single syllable the entire time, and it wasn’t even an actual word. “I think he may have threatened to end me violently.”

_ That _ gets Ozymandias’s attention, because he sits up. His expression is a mix of concerned and annoyed, but Arash can’t really take it seriously because of the way his hair is sticking up. “He did what,” Ozymandias says flatly.

“Don’t worry too much about it. I think it came from a place of concern on his end. Quite frankly, Nitocris’s lecture was worse.”

That doesn’t seem to make Ozymandias feel much better. On the contrary, his face darkens even more. “He should know better than to threaten people I care about.”

Arash smiles at that, unable to deny the warmth he feels at being considered one of those people, and leans forward to press a kiss to Ozymandias’s cheek. “It really isn’t a big deal,” he reassures him, enjoying the way his expression softens and face reddens slightly. “Master wouldn’t let him, anyway, and if she did, I’d probably deserve it.”

“You are not wrong, of course, but I still intend to talk to him about this sort of behavior,” Ozymandias sighs, sounding slightly embarrassed as Arash peppers his face with butterfly kisses. He wrinkles his nose instinctively when Arash presses one gently to it with a grin. “Stop that, I am trying to be serious! I cannot stay mad when you are doing this.”

There’s a laugh in his voice, and Arash’s smile only widens. “Then I’ve done my job!” Without warning, he lunges at Ozymandias, knocking him flat onto the bed and leaning over him, eyes sparkling with amusement. Bracing his weight on one arm, his free hand finds one of Ozymandias’s and laces them together.

“I love you,” he tells him, and his eyes trace the way Ozymandias’s lips curl up in a smile and how his face flushes barely noticeably and mostly how his eyes light up at the confession.

“I love you too,” Ozymandias breathes, and that’s all he gets to say before Arash leans down to kiss him silly.

 

Arash hears someone clear their throat behind him loudly, and he turns around. To his surprise, it’s Gilgamesh. It’s not just  _ his _ surprise, either; the entire room has gone silent, because Gilgamesh  _ never _ joins them here, because he’s above it all or something.

“You, the Archer,” says Gilgamesh, pointing at Arash, who blinks and nods once, a bit surprised, but wonders if there’s something up with Ozymandias again.

“Er, me?” Arash inquires, pointing at himself just to be sure. Gilgamesh’s noise of annoyance is all the confirmation he needs.

Behind him, he hears the Lancer Cu Chulainn mutter, “Oh, he’s fucked.” It’s not that Arash particularly appreciates that, but it’s not like he’s wrong, either.

“I,” Gilgamesh begins, sounding like the words are physically painful to say, “am here to… to.” He sounds pissed off, like he’s struggling. It’d be amusing if it were anyone but Gilgamesh. “I am here to ap… apolo…”

“It is not that difficult, Gil!” comes Enkidu’s voice from down the hallway.

“Shut up, Enkidu!” Gilgamesh shouts back. “I have never had to  _ do _ this before!”

“Then it is about time for you to learn! It is five words!”

Gilgamesh grits his teeth, his face flushing red with embarrassment. “I, Gilgamesh, the King of Heroes,” he starts again, fists clenched from where his arms are crossed over his chest, “am here to formally… apologize… to the Archer Arash for my actions. The other day.”

There’s a stunned silence.

After another long moment of shocked quiet, Gilgamesh clears his throat, clearly trying to recover his dignity. “With that said, I am done here!” he announces, still sounding distinctly embarrassed, and marches off.

In the distance, Arash hears Enkidu make a delighted noise. “I am so  _ proud _ of you!”

There’s another beat of silence, broken by Cu Chulainn’s utterly stunned, “Did you guys all see that, or am I hallucinating?”

 

“What did you say to him?” Arash asks Ozymandias later that night, when they’re tangled together under the sheets.

“Hm?” Ozymandias hums sleepily, bumping his head against Arash’s chin. “Who?”

“Gilgamesh. He apologized to me publicly today.”

Ozymandias makes a noise of surprise, drawing away slightly to be able to meet Arash’s gaze, gold eyes blinking. “I did not expect that,” he admits.

“That so… I’m still curious.”

Ozymandias looks mildly embarrassed, laughing a bit awkwardly. It’s endearing. “I merely told him that we could not continue to have a good friendship if he was not at least civil towards you, and asked that he apologize to you at least.”

Oh, that actually is pretty surprising, but at the same time, it’s pretty heartwarming. “Gilgamesh likes you a lot more than I thought he did,” Arash muses thoughtfully, scooting closer again. While the way Gilgamesh shows it is… well,  _ awful _ to say the least, it’s still very much real.

It’s also something Arash can sympathize with. He’s fully aware of the fact that Ozymandias is perfectly competent--a much better Servant than Arash is, for sure--and can take care of himself, but the urge to protect his loved ones is something he can definitely relate to.

“Hm,” Ozymandias says again, already having drifted off again. Arash can’t help the small smile that spreads across his face, drawing the other close again to settle down to sleep himself.

**Author's Note:**

> hmu on tumblr @kyasuu my dudes


End file.
